EU leaders urge single market for rail

In his address to InnoTrans, a major transport industry fair held in Berlin, European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas said he planned to push ahead with an ambitious €32 billion investment program in transport infrastructure around Europe. This would build, he added, on the €4.5 trillion invested in transport between 2008 and 2011.“More has to be done if rail is to achieve its full potential,” Kallas said. “[We need to] operate and expand infrastructure for better connections with neighbouring countries. Today rail is still a split and fragmented sector. To ensure Europe’s railways reach their full potential will require more reforms. For rail to thrive there must be a genuine single market.”Rail.co[pictured: ZNLE’s Griffin; photo courtesy InnoTrans 2012]